Free speech, predators, and private schools
A catholic school has just set a policy forbissing student from blogging (link below), under the idea that they are trying to protect students from online predators. Students and parents alike are upset, but there are those that agree with the school. My head started spinning with the various angles one could take for discussion on this topic:
1. Free speech in the constitution affects only federal law, so that argument in this situation doesn't work. But on the other hand, we tend to believe that liberty includes free speech, wether the law is made that way our not. Doesn't society have a say in how the constitution is actually practiced?
2. To what extent does any institution, be it school or employer, have the right to regulate the behaviour of its members outside working hours or off campus? Are any attempts really for the good of the people or just for itself?
3. Parents complain that schools don't do enough, but then when schools try to step up, parents often complain that their rights are being violated.
4. Is it easy to overreact in these situations leaving behind common sense? What if the school really is just trying to protect kids from dangerous situations by preventing them from sticking too much ID info into a such a public place. Kids will have lapses of bad judgement online and will often not listen to guidence. Removing their choices is sometimes necessary.
5. What if, as soon as we fall for number 4 above, this kind of reason gets abused and used as a smoke screen by organizations who really just want to squash criticism or regulate the expression of thoughts and ideas; because they obviously do know better than the rest of us about what is harmful.
6. Some would say "If you don't like the policy, go elsewhere" Is that really the simple bottom line or is that just a way to avoid facing the issue. Sometimes, just going elsewhere isn't really an option.
7. The Internet has become a new method of social warfare for students. Bullies and cowards often use blogs to intimidate peers. This is a real problem and is very difficult to prevent or defend.
Whatever you decide, I do think it is extremely important to bring these issues up for discussion. I am not so much a blof fanatic as I am a fan of making sure there is always an outlet for expression, some level of checks and balances so the only ideas we are exposed to are not just those regulated by some authoritative body. There is always a chance that an incorrect or misguided concept may catch traction and cause issues. But that in itself is part of the game.
As they say in sports, you can look at the teams on paper but you still have to actually play all 9 innings to see what will happen.
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051024/NEWS03/510240319/1007
1. Free speech in the constitution affects only federal law, so that argument in this situation doesn't work. But on the other hand, we tend to believe that liberty includes free speech, wether the law is made that way our not. Doesn't society have a say in how the constitution is actually practiced?
2. To what extent does any institution, be it school or employer, have the right to regulate the behaviour of its members outside working hours or off campus? Are any attempts really for the good of the people or just for itself?
3. Parents complain that schools don't do enough, but then when schools try to step up, parents often complain that their rights are being violated.
4. Is it easy to overreact in these situations leaving behind common sense? What if the school really is just trying to protect kids from dangerous situations by preventing them from sticking too much ID info into a such a public place. Kids will have lapses of bad judgement online and will often not listen to guidence. Removing their choices is sometimes necessary.
5. What if, as soon as we fall for number 4 above, this kind of reason gets abused and used as a smoke screen by organizations who really just want to squash criticism or regulate the expression of thoughts and ideas; because they obviously do know better than the rest of us about what is harmful.
6. Some would say "If you don't like the policy, go elsewhere" Is that really the simple bottom line or is that just a way to avoid facing the issue. Sometimes, just going elsewhere isn't really an option.
7. The Internet has become a new method of social warfare for students. Bullies and cowards often use blogs to intimidate peers. This is a real problem and is very difficult to prevent or defend.
Whatever you decide, I do think it is extremely important to bring these issues up for discussion. I am not so much a blof fanatic as I am a fan of making sure there is always an outlet for expression, some level of checks and balances so the only ideas we are exposed to are not just those regulated by some authoritative body. There is always a chance that an incorrect or misguided concept may catch traction and cause issues. But that in itself is part of the game.
As they say in sports, you can look at the teams on paper but you still have to actually play all 9 innings to see what will happen.
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051024/NEWS03/510240319/1007
